The invention relates to high temperature packer element arrangements for use in well bores, particularly those of the geothermal variety. Presently, high temperature packers and bridge plugs have been used with some degree of success at temperatures up to approximately 500.degree. F. Above this temperature, prior art packers will not hold high differential pressures for long time intervals. Packers employing back-up elements made of intermediate hard thermoplastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) to sealing elements made of other fluorocarbon elastomers such as Fluorel and Viton have been used in steam injection packers up to approximately 550.degree. F. These packers, however, are set at relatively low temperatures before being exposed to the operating temperature. Running such a packer in an operating temperature (approximately 550.degree. F.) results in failure to hold pressure due to unacceptable behavior of the thermoplastic when subjected to compressive load to initiate the desired seal. Packing made of woven asbestos and Inconel wire has also been used for packing elements at temperatures above 500.degree. F., such elements normally being backed with expandable metal packer shoes. However, when subjected to high differential pressures, leakage occurs to an extent tolerable in steam injection wells but excessive for many geothermal applications.